Senior officials don't have to appear in court all the time

CHEN MINGMING, a vice provincial governor in Southwest China's Guizhou province, appeared in court last week as the defendant in a land requisition case brought by a farmer. This is reportedly the first time a leading official from a provincial government has appeared in court as the defendant in a civil lawsuit. Beijing News commented on Tuesday:

That the senior Guizhou provincial-level official appeared in court is because an amendment to the law last year has made it easier for citizens to sue a government.

But the high-ranking official's presence, notable as it is, should not be overstated. Nor should senior officials be routinely made the defendant in people's lawsuits against local governments. In most cases, it is the relevant law enforcers that should defend a government's actions.